Tag: humberPR

Halloween is notorious for offensive costumes. In fact, it wouldn’t be Halloween without the
standard run of the mill “they took it too far” costumes. Interestingly, it hasn’t always been this way.

The holiday began as a Celtic festival in the 19th century. By the 20th century, it became closely associated with the costume culture that we recognize the holiday for today. Originally, the costumes worn were meant to be scary. Today, we see costumes ranging from scary, to fun, to sexy, to straight up offensive.

This shift in Halloween costumes is problematic. While many people are fully aware that some costumes can be seen as disrespectful, just as many don’t care. Here are three examples this year that most definitely hit the mark when it comes to offensive costumes: Continue reading →

Pumpkin spice has become a crazy cultural food craze. It began as flavouring for pie, but has since grown into a long list of foods and household items that seems to get longer every year. There are the pumpkin spice cereals, doughnuts, candles, lotions, beers, and of course the infamous Starbucks pumpkin spice latte just to name a few.

So where did it all come from and why is it such a big deal? Simply put, it’s nostalgic. Americans root themselves in tradition, and pumpkin spice can be traced back farther than you think. The first reference to pumpkin spice was in 1796 in Amelia Simmons cookbook “American Cookery”. Amelia called for stewed pumpkin spiced with ginger and nutmeg for her “pompkin pudding” pie.

Pumpkin spice cupcakes

As Americans moved on to urban living, pumpkin spice and all of its glory came with them. Fast-forward a couple of centuries and pumpkin spice is no longer just a flavouring for pie, but a mass source of commercial revenue. In fact, in 2013 alone Americans spent $350 million on pumpkin flavoured products alone. The crown jewel of this pumpkin spiced epidemic happens to be – you guessed it – Starbucks pumpkin spice latte. The popularity of this fall drink is said to have been the reason for so many copycat products hitting the shelves. It has gotten to the point where even the most obscure of items seem to have found a way to jump on the bandwagon.

What I can say about the pumpkin spice trend is that as over-saturated as it may be, I really don’t mind it. Fall is a season for crisp air, crunchy leaves, cinnamon and cozy sweaters. I’ll deal with the pumpkin spice hummus, vodka and chips if it means I can warm up by a fire drinking a delicious pumpkin spice latte.

JENN MARLEE

Hi there & welcome to my blog! I am an aspiring PR pro interested in the lifestyle, fashion, and beauty industry. I currently dedicate my time to getting as much experience in the field as necessary to achieve my goals. This blog is my creative outlet where you can find information about myself, my journey, and hopefully some inspiration along the way!